iTunes Review

An indie-rap veteran and major star in Canada, Moka Only (a.k.a. Ron Contour) has been steadily working for two decades now; he's released more than 100 records under various aliases and on a zillion different labels. Ayatollah is a Queens, N.Y.—based producer who's crafted hits for a wide assortment of emcees, including Mos Def, Cormega, Tragedy Khadafi, Ghostface, M.O.P., and Pharoahe Monch, among countless others. On Bridges, they come together to give fans an undeniably funky project overflowing with neck-bending, loop-driven beats and clever, unpredictable wordplay. Moka's mellow, almost monotone flow and breezy singing meander around Ayatollah's roughneck drums and multi-genre samples, with rhymes about girls, hip-hop, and anything else that pops into his head. It's definitely a little weird and at times almost nonsensical (especially on "Eckhart Tollie"); this set isn't for everybody. But there's plenty of abstract funk in the mix, and adventurous listeners will be rewarded with many high-quality jams. The deluxe version offers five bonus tracks. Check out "Come Along," "Set Up a Mic," and "Get This Style."